124 BIRDS 



Barbary Partridge ; TenerifFe Partridge {Caccabis petrosa) 

 The Auckland Society introduced two in 1868, but there is no 



further record of them. 



The Wellington Society in 1892 received 19 of these birds from 



Mr Hamilton of TenerifFe. Six of them died soon after arrival, and 



the rest were at once liberated on Kapiti Island. In 1894 a covey of 



two old and seven young birds was seen. 



Hungarian Partridge (Caccabis saxattbs ?) 

 The Wellington Society, in conjunction with the Canterbury, 

 Nelson and other societies, introduced 20 of these birds in 1897; 

 but no record is obtainable as to what was done with them except 

 that the Hawera Society obtained three brace in February, 1898, and 

 liberated them. 



The Auckland Society in 1912 imported 39, and kept them for 

 breeding, but 20 of them died, and the remainder were liberated, 

 15 at Kaipara, and four in the Waikato. No report was received 

 of these, and in the annual report for 19 14 it is stated: "it begins 

 to be apparent that they are not satisfactory birds to import, there 

 being no perceptible increase." 



* Californian Quail (Lophortyx calif ornicus, Callipepla calif ornicd) 



This is one of the few species of game birds which have succeeded 

 in establishing themselves in New Zealand. 



Mr Huddlestone informs me that they were first brought to 

 Nelson in 1865, but it is not clear where they came from. 



The Auckland Society introduced 113 in 1867; of these, ten 

 were sent to the Waikato, and 42 to Nelson in the following year. 

 Fourteen more were received from Mr D. B. Cruickshank in 1870. 

 Sir George Grey also introduced these birds into Kawau, and they 

 increased to such an extent that in later years the Auckland Society 

 was permitted to net hundreds of them for liberation in the provincial 

 district. 



The Canterbury Society introduced two in 1867, four in 1868, 

 and a large number (unspecified) in 1871. Later on they purchased 

 520 birds from Nelson (where they had increased enormously), and 

 turned them out in various localities. In 1883 they introduced 122 

 more; in 1885 they are reported as being very numerous at Little 

 River. But in 1906 "the Quail seem to be steadily decreasing in 

 most places." 



The Otago Society introduced 18 in 1868, and Uberated them 

 at Inch Clutha, where they increased, and three years later were 

 reported to be plentiful. In 1871 120 were imported, one half of 



